SPRING PRACTICE PERIOD: Stories from the Lotus Sutra

Dogen-Zenji so cherished the Lotus Sutra that he actually carved a selection of it into his door. This, the core text of not only Zen but the whole of Mahayana Buddhism, has never lost its appeal among practitioners of the Way. Join us for our SPRING PRACTICE PERIOD: Stories From the Lotus Sutra led by Sensei Joshin Byrnes, Sensei Genzan Quennell

Robert Thomas: 04-06-2013: The Four Bodhisattva Vows and Joshu's Stone Bridge

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Episode Description: Sensei Robert kicks off the Spring Practice Period by offering some of his early practice period experiences. He then briefly discusses that the pāramitās will be the focus of study over the next month. The remainder of this talk focuses on the Four Bodhisattva Vows. Sensei relates the story of Joshu’s Stone Bridge and how this metaphor can be used to convey the meaning of the Four Vows.

BIO : Sensei Do-On Robert Thomas is a Zen Buddhist priest in the lineage of Rev. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Robert’s dharma name, given to him when he was ordained as a priest in 2000, is Shi-Zan Do-On (Lion Mountain, Path of Kindness). He has been practicing Zen Buddhism since 1993, and in 2008 he received “Dharma Transmission” from his teacher, Zoketsu Norman Fischer. Today, Robert leads Zen retreats and workshops, and gives public lectures throughout the year. The expression of his Buddhist practice in his teachings has been focused on helping people from all walks of life to realize the practical benefits of Zen practice and meditation (zazen), and extend the Zen mind, with its qualities of openness, clarity, and flexibility, into every moment of their life.